2013 Range Rover Demonstrates Ruggedness on Morocco Road Trip

Airstream Journey Covers 3700 Miles from England to Morocco and Back

Range Rovers are perceived by most U.S. customers as purely luxury vehicles that would serve roughly the same purpose as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series. They're not often used as beasts of burden on this side of the Atlantic, when pickups and conventional SUVs can be bought for a fraction of the price.

In Europe, the Range Rover is one of the most capable tow rigs available for any price, and the choice of many well-heeled vacationers. The all-new 2013 Range Rover lost a huge amount of weight due to its adoption of an aluminum chassis. But to prove it hasn't lost any of its legendary brawn or ruggedness, Land Rover sent its flagship from Northern England to Morocco and back on an 11-day, 3676-mile journey towing a 5289-pound Airstream 684 Series 2 travel trailer, showing its leather-lined cruiser isn't afraid of work.

The journey started at Airstream's European production facility in Tebay, England, near the Scottish border. Along the way, the upscale pair stopped at the Range Rover factory in Solihull, the Frank Gehry-designed Marques de Riscal building in the Rioja region of Spain, a beach near Casablanca, and the race track at Marrakesh. The final destination was the Oukaimeden ski resort, the highest-elevation resort in Africa. The Range Rover was equipped with a 4.4-liter turbodiesel V-8 producing 339 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Sad to say, this torque beast is not offered in the U.S.

Ben Samuelson, the main driver on the trip, compared the Airstream to a boutique hotel, and said the combination of the Range Rover and Airstream proved "luxury and adventure are not mutually exclusive."